Snail Cream for Ingrown Hairs

Ingrown hairs are those that have curled around, growing back into the skin instead of growing up from it. In some cases, ingrown hairs can be caused by dead skin can clog hair follicles, causing hair to grow sideways under the skin.

Although ingrown hairs aren’t serious, they can be irritating and embarrassing due to their unsightly nature.

What Does an Ingrown Hair Look Like?

Ingrown hairs irritate the skin, leading to raised, red bumps that look similar to small pimples. They can sometimes be painful, leading to boil-like sores and in some cases skin infections.

They can be itchy and uncomfortable, especially if you have a lot of them, and although ingrown hairs are not a serious condition, you may want treatment to alleviate the discomfort they cause.

In men, ingrown hairs typically appear as bunches of little bumps, commonly on the chin, cheeks or neck after shaving.

In women, ingrown hairs are most common on the legs, pubic area and armpits. It’s also not uncommon for ingrown hairs to appear on the buttocks.

Ingrown Hair Causes

Although ingrown hairs can affect anyone, they are more common in those who have very curly or coarse hair. This is because these hair types are more likely to bend back, re-entering the skin when shaved or cut.

They’re also more common during puberty, as high or changing levels of sex hormones can lead to increased hair growth, making ingrown hairs more likely.

Ingrown hairs are more prevalent in Black and Hispanic people, as their thicker, curlier hair is more likely to cause a type of ingrown hairs.

Ingrown Hair Treatment

More often than not ingrown hairs will go away on their own, however, in some circumstances troublesome ingrown hairs can lead to skin infection, darkening of the skin, and even scarring.

If an ingrown hair becomes bothersome or infected, your doctor can make a small incision into the skin to alleviate discomfort. In addition, there are also a number of treatment options that they can prescribe including:

Topical steroid creams that work to bring down swelling and reduce irritation

Retinoids (Retin A)to remove dead skin cells and reduce the changes to skin pigment that can occur as a result of ingrown hairs

If using an electric razor, make sure to hold it slightly above the skins surface

Use to cool washcloth after shaving, applying it to your skin to reduce any irritation

In addition to these measures, there are also a number of others that can make it less likely that you’ll see ingrown hairs when shaving. These measures include depilatory creams that work to dissolve hair and laser or electric current (electrolysis) to remove the troublesome hair follicle permanently.